Tear-open tobacco can



Nov. 26, 1929. J. F. PETERS TEAR OPEN TOBACCO CAN Filed June 25. 1922 mull-um JZ'z'g: 4

' I INVENATOR. 7

TTORNEY Patented I Nov. 26, 1929 JOHN F. PETERS, OF ROCHESTER,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY [PEAR-OPEN TOBACCO CAN Application filed June 23,

My invention relates to containers of the tearing strip variety and particularly to such containers adapted to be opened by removal of a tearing strip extending partially, but

tnot completely around the container body, thus leaving a hinge section of the body material, an internal wall part being provided beneath the tearing strip to receive the hinged cover thus formed in frictional closing engagement.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of a tobacco box which may be hermetically closed and which is adapted to serve in the ordinary manner of a hinged cover box during the time that the contents are being consumed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood fr'om the following description, which,

taken in connection with the acompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container in which my invention is embodied, showing in dotted lines the tearing strip par tially torn away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 22 in Figure 1 and showing the cover in raised position after removal of the tearing strip;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken lengthwise through the top of the container andloo-king in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken sub stantially on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

The container illustrated in the drawings comprises primarily a fiat body part 11, having its edges joined in a longitudinal seam 12 and having a bottom end 13 and a top 14 hermetically secured thereto. top 14 and beginning at the seam 12, which is merely lapped at this point toprovide a strip extension or tongue 15, are parallel score lines 16 and 17 which extend around the major part of the body and terminate in a diagonal score line 18, connecting the parallel score lines and adapted to direct the tear into a single line to remove the strip. This body Beneath the 1922. Serial No. 570,399.

11 consists in one piece of sheet metal of a body portion proper below the lower score line 17 and a cover-flange portion above the upper score line 16.

WVithin the container and secured to the wall thereof, beneath the lower score line 17 or beneath the tearing strip, is a band, or wall part 19, which, at the end thereof, is beaded at 21 correspondingly with beaded wall parts 22, to form a locked engagement between said parts to prevent displacement of the auxiliary wall part 19. This wall part 19 is sometimes called a collar, and is also described as a bridging flange or member, which bridges the space left by the removal of the tearing strip. The tearing strip extension 15 is tapered, or narrowed at the point where it contacts with the can body adjacent the side seam 12 and terminates in a fingerpiece 23. The strip maybe removed by pulling upon the finger-piece 23 and the narrowed portion thereoffacilitates the removing of the strip from the can body, in the event that it should be soldered thereto through the application of solder to the side seam. The score line 18 causes the strip to be severed and completely removed, leaving a cover part 24 which is still connected to the body at one side and adapted to be opened and closed by bending the body material at the point 25. It is thus unnecessary to provide a cover hinge and the wall part 19 provides a base for the reception of the cover flanges in frictional engagement, thus providing a con venient receptacle for containing the tobacco, or other material during the period of consumption thereof. When the cover part 24 is closed it engages around the upper part of the bridging member 19.

This invention involves several primary considerations: The can ishermetic so that the tobaccois preserved in a vacuum, or in an inert gas substituted for air and kept tightly sealed within the can until it is de sired to use the tobacco, and thereby the great losses due to spoiled tobacco returned to the Y packers are prevented ;the can may be opened readily by the customer without cutting it; and after opening, the structure of the can provides a hinged cover for a temporary closure until the tobacco is used. It will be understood that while such preservation of tobacco is a field of great usefulness, the in vention may be used for other. products, for which it may be found suitable and desirable. It is well adapted for the packing and preservation of tobacco in the form of cigarettes and in such case might be slightly modified in shape and size so as to suit and be convenient for this last mentioned product.

I believe myself to be the first to produce a tin box hinge connecting a body and cover. the hinge being left operative by the removal of a tearing strip which did integrally unite said body and cover; also the same in combination with a collar tightly held in one of said box parts and embraced by the other part and serving to occupy the space between the body and cover left by the removal of the tearing strip.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, or sacrificing all of its material advantages,

the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Iclaim:

1. A sheet metal can adapted for the packaging of tobacco and the like, comprising) a body having a top secured thereto and eing provided beneath said vtop with parallel score lines setting off a tearing strip extending partially around said body, the material between the endsof said score lines forming a hinge part, and a continuous and endless sheet metal internal auxiliary wall part secured to the body beneath said score lines and extendin thereabove, said part serving as a friction ase for the flange of the hinge cover provided by removal of said tear ing strip.

2. A sheet metal can adapted for the packaging of tobacco and the like, comprising a bod having-a top and astrip set off by paralle score lines extending partially around the container beneath the top, and a continuous and endless sheet metal internal collar secured to the body beneath said tearing strip and providing a wall part for frictionally engaging the cover formed by the tearing away of said strip, said tearing strip having a tearing tongue at one end, and being tapered at the opposite end to cause complete removal of the strip leaving a hinge part between the ends thereof.

3. A sheet metal and the like, comprising a fiat body having a top permanently secured thereto and being provided beneath said top with parallel score lines setting off a tearing strip extending partially around said body, a hinge part being body wall, a top permanently secured pocket box for tobaccoleft between the ends of said score lines, and a continuous and endless sheet metal internal wall part secured to the body beneath said score lines and extending thereabove, said part being adapted to engage the flange of the hinge cover provided by removal of said tearing strip.

4. A sheet metal can adapted for the packaging of tobacco and the like, comprising a to said wall, said wall being provided with arallel score lines extending around the ma or part thereof and setting ofi' a tearing strip with an unscored section between the ends thereof, and a continuous and endless sheet metal internal wall part secured to the container wall beneath said score lines and extending thereabove, said wall part serving as a friction base for the flanged hinge cover provided by removal of said tearing strip.

5. A sheet metal can adapted for the packaging of tobacco and the like, comprising a body wall having the edges thereof locked in a longitudinal seam, a top permanently secured to said wall, said wall being provided with parallel score lines extending around the major part thereof and setting off a tearing strip with an unscored section between the ends thereof, and a sheet metal collar continuous around and within the can secured to the container wall beneath said score lines and extending thereabove, said wall part serving as a friction base for the flanged hinge cover provided by'removal of said tearing strip, said strip beginning at said longitudinal seam and terminating at a point on the same side of the container but spaced from said seam and having a diagonal score line extending between said parallel lines at said last mentioned point. 7

6. The combination of a sheet metal body and a cover having an intermediate tearing strip integral with said body and cover, and

means connecting the body with the cover and independent of the tearing strip and acting as a hinge for the cover when the tearing strip is removed, and a sheet metal endthe body entirely less collar secured within around within the same and extending past the tearing strip and adapted to be engaged by the hinged cover when the latter is closed.

JOHN F. PETERS.v 

